Sony A900

Well I’ve just returned from sunny Edinburgh (no sarcasm intended – it really was!) where I was introduced to the shiny new Alpha 900 and had a chance to take a pre-production model for a spin

Well I’ve just returned from sunny Edinburgh (no sarcasm intended – it really was!) where I was introduced to the shiny new Alpha 900 and had a chance to take a pre-production model for a spin.

Following a seemingly interminable build-up to the launch, it was exciting to be invited to this event – having recently reviewed the Nikon D700, I was particularly keen to see how Sony’s latest offering would stack up to the competition.

On paper, the A900 looks very interesting indeed, with a colossal 24.6mp full frame ‘Exmor’ sensor, Dual BIONZ processors and in-body Sony Super SteadyShot. In the hand, its ergonomic grip fits like a glove and the philosophy: ‘one button = one function’ makes it easy to use too.

The 3in LCD is very clear and capable of displaying incredible detail. The anti-reflective coating is very effective and enabled me to check my images without any trouble at all, even in full sunlight. The viewfinder is equally as impressive, offering 100% frame coverage.

We were a little surprised at Sony’s decision not to include Live View, being told that they didn’t see it as being ‘as important’ as other features. The Live Preview feature – which allows you to take a test shot and preview the effect of altering the WB or applying different settings using the Dynamic Range Optimiser for example, before taking the final shot – to be innovative, if a little time-consuming to use.

As we weren’t able to use full production models during the conference, we can’t pass judgement on the image quality produced by the A900, however I’ve uploaded a few test shots taken while out and about in Edinburgh to whet your appetite (see below). Hopefully we’ll get our hands on a full-fat version very soon for an in-depth review.

So what do you all make of Sony’s latest offering? IMO, it’s great that Sony users now have something to aim for above the A700, and there’s no doubt that the A900 is a formidable camera with some fantastic features – however I’m not sure that it’s going to be able to hog the limelight for long, with the Nikon D700 going from strength to strength and the long-anticipated new model from Canon lurking around the corner…